I wasn't sure I wanted a second Sami Kierce book, but that was silly of me. Harlan Coben almost never disappoints.

This book was so much fun. It had action, humor, and plenty of plot twists. Coben added a lot of depth to Sami's character with the backstory and I will absolutely read the next one (hoping there will be a next one?!).

Nobody's Fool by Harlan Coben is a mystery/thriller book and I enjoyed reading it. The buildup of the story was a little slow but halfway through, it got unputdownable. The suspense and the twists were very interesting.
I got the ARC from Grand Central Publishing via Netgalley. All opinions expressed are mine.

4.5⭐ rounded up

Waking up next to the bloody body of the girl you were seeing is frightening, especially when you're on summer break in Spain. And 20 years later, it still haunts you. Then she walks in your classroom, turns and runs away.

Coben knows how to hook you, but give up trying to figure it out until he lets you. Sami Kierce, an ex-policeman, still an investigator and teacher of classes on the subject was featured in one other Coben thriller. Here, he has a cadre of his students helping him, his own version of the Baker Street irregulars. Hopefully, we will see them again. At the same time, the man convicted of the murder of Sami's fiancee is getting released from prison. Is there a connection between the cases. Read to find out. Thanks to netgalley for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

This is my first time reading this author and I loved this book so much that I immediately bought the first book in this series of 2. Sami Kierce is a very complex character, as are the mysteries in this book. He is a former police officer, now a private detective.
He experienced trauma as a young college graduate. While backpacking through Europe, he met a young woman named Anna. He spent a week with her, only to wake up one morning to find her covered in blood, and the bloody knife in his hand. This experience has haunted him throughout his life. He is currently teaching a sleuthing class at night school. He sees a woman at the back of the class who looks like Anna. As they make eye contact, she runs out of the classroom. Is it possible that she is alive? This sets many things in motion, leading to an unexpected ending. I couldn’t put it down.

Also reviewed on B&N (1IrishEyes430) and Kobo (IrishEyes430)

What is there to say about any Harlan Coben books, they are all captivating! Had me invested from the start, and I really enjoyed the book!

Disgraced cop Sami Kierce had a traumatizing experience as a young man while on vacation. The experience comes back to life over 20 years later and takes him on different adventure. This is my first Harlan Coben book. I was only familiar with him from the books turned Netflix series. I am usually of the belief to read the book before watching the move/show etc. but Harlan was not on my radar then. This was a fun read that kept me guessing. Thank you NetGalley and Grand Central Publishing for an advanced copy of this book. Now I need to put all of Harlan Coben's books on my TBR.
#NetGalley
#NobodysFool

Harlan Coben does not miss, and Nobody’s Fool is another prime example of his thriller mastery. From the very beginning, this story grabbed me by the collar and didn’t let go. We follow Detective Sami Kierce—already grappling with deep grief—who finds himself thrust into a chilling investigation that forces him to dig up a past he desperately hoped to keep buried. Just when you think you’ve figured out who’s pulling the strings, three more twists show up to knock your theories off the table.

The story is layered with emotional tension, unexpected reunions, and a villain that knows exactly how to strike where it hurts most. Coben’s pacing is surgical, unraveling just enough to keep you gasping without ever losing momentum. Sami is the kind of flawed, complex lead that makes a thriller stick with you long after the last chapter. And if you’re anything like me, you'll be side-eying every new character until the final page.

This book wore me out in the best way. The twists were so good I caught myself whispering “ain’t no way” more than once. Sami’s emotional arc hit hard. Watching him wrestle with grief, regret, and the ghosts of the past while trying to stay ten steps ahead was intense. I love when a thriller makes me feel something and keeps me guessing. And this one? Did both flawlessly. If this ends up becoming the next Harlan Coben x Netflix collaboration, I will be seated, snacks ready, and locked in.

NetGalley, Grand Central Publishing, and Harlan Coben for the advanced reader copy of this jaw-dropping thriller.

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Let me know when you’re ready to slot in entry #003—or if you’d like to go back and elevate another past review for your growing digital shelves! 💎📚

Harlan Coben is a must read for me! I love every single of his books!

Sami Kierce is a young backpacker in Malaga, Spain, in 2000 and he’s having a blast with a few friends. While at a night club he meets Anna. He lets his friends go ahead and he ends up spending as much time with Anna as possible. After a night of fun Sami wakes up and he’s covered in blood, with a knife in his hand, and the body of a Anna beside him. To make matters worse he has no memory of what had happened. Not sure if he killed her or if he’s involved in some sort of frame up. Either way he runs and flys home but the nightmare stays with him.

New York City, 2025 and Sami is now a former detective who spends his evenings teaching classes, he’s married and has a new baby named Henry. He’s still haunted by the fateful day of Anna covered in blood. One evening while teaching his class he looks up and notices a woman in the audience and is sure it is Anna. Their eyes meet and she immediately runs away! Can this woman who he thought was dead for the last 25 years actually still be alive? Sami is determined to uncover the truth and to solve the mystery that has haunted him. The jaw-dropping ending shocked me!!

As a big fan of Harlan Coben’s Netflix adaptations, I already knew I was in for a ride—but this book still exceeded every expectation. Thank you, Harlan, for another unputdownable story that kept me reading late into the night! The characters instantly felt like friends (and a few, definite foes), and their depth and humanity pulled me in with every twist and turn. The way the story moved seamlessly across events and locations kept the momentum going nonstop. Coben’s talent for suspense and heart is unmatched. Already counting down to the next one—5 stars!

Sami Kierce was a on the police force but got discharged and is now teaching night classes to people who are into detective work. When teaching class one night he sees a familiar face that he hadn't seen in over 20 years when he was back packing through Spain. What's even crazier is he was under the impression that the face he was seeing was dead; murdered by his own hands. Now he is determined to find out what is actually going on. He enlists his class to help him find the truth of what happened all those years ago.

Thank you netgalley, the author and publisher for the ARC!

While this book was less of a twist filled adventure than most of Coben's books, it was still a great thrilling read. He rarely disappoints and he didn't here with Nobody's Fool.

This was a solid read and I enjoyed hearing more about Sami Kierce. I would say that this was less twisty and convoluted than most of Coben's books which may be a pro or a con depending on how you feel. For me it made it feel a little slow at times but came together in the end. The ending left it open for another book in the series, which I would definitely read if one was written.

Harlan Coben does it again! This book is a wild, twisty ride that had me hooked from the start. I’ve been a fan of Coben’s books for years, and he never disappoints—and this one is no exception.

We’re back with Sami Kierce, now a PI and a new dad, still trying to piece his life together after leaving the NYPD. He’s teaching a night class when he sees a face he thought he’d never see again—Anna. The same Anna who died 22 years ago. The same Anna he woke up next to… covered in blood. Yeah. That Anna.

From there, things spiral fast. There’s nonstop suspense, tons of twists (some I saw coming, most I did not), and that signature emotional punch Coben always manages to sneak in. At the center is a mystery that ties the past and present together in some seriously compelling ways—kidnappings, disappearances, and all kinds of secrets.

My only small gripe is that a couple of the twists felt a little over-the-top. But honestly? I didn’t even care. I was too busy flying through the chapters to see what would happen next.

If you love thrillers that keep you guessing right up to the last page, you’ll definitely want to pick this up. And the ending leaves the door open for more, so fingers crossed we get another Sami story soon.

My copy of this book was provided by NetGalley and Grand Central Publishing for review purposes. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

𝑵𝑶𝑩𝑶𝑫𝒀'𝑺 𝑭𝑶𝑶𝑳 𝒃𝒚 𝑯𝒂𝒓𝒍𝒂𝒏 𝑪𝒐𝒃𝒆𝒏 is a perfect Thriller option from @grandcentralpub & @hachetteaudio so graciously provided to me via @netgalley and out March 25th!

If you are a thriller fan, you know Coben's signature style of intense plots with fantastic characters who have no shortage of sharp humor to go along with the intellect. This is no departure from form, and I was sucked into this story from the first page.

I also feel like a synopsis does no favors for thrillers, so all I will say about this one is that a past event from his college years comes hauntingly back to Sami Kierce, a former detective.

I loved this twisty story that gave another layer into Sami. I love this character and his reassembled life, not least of which is his banter-loving wife.

This suspense was quite unnerving. I loved the pace and multiple directions. It left me feeling like I was utterly inept at following clues and so glad I allowed this tale to pull me along.
4.5 Stars

Sami is spending his time after graduating backpacking with friends though Spain, when he meets a beautiful girl that is interested in him for a change and not his athletic buddies. They spend the night together and Sami decides to stay where he is and not go on with his friends. Sami and the girl, Anna, have a great time together until the morning Sami wakes up and he is covered in blood holding a knife and Anna is there dead with blood all around. Sami has no idea what happened. His dad says come home now right now and Sami does but he never stops thinking about the girl. But life goes on until one day many years later Sami sees her, she runs but he is sure it is Anna and goes to find her and the truth about the one night.
This is a suspenseful Harlan Coben book. I loved every minute of it and could not put it down. I stayed up passed my bedtime to read it and it had me hooked line and sinker from the beginning and never stopped. I could totally see this happening in real life and that is where Mr. Coben shines his brightest. I loved it and I hope you all do too.

What a twisty thriller suspense read from author Harlan Coben!
Thrills
Twists
Intrigue
Mystery
Nobody’s Food is an engaging, fast=paced read with interesting characters.

Thank you for the opportunity to read this book for my honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.

Nobody's Fool is an exciting thriller from beginning to end! Sami Kierce is a former cop, now private detective, who supplements his income by teaching a class to future detective hopefuls. The book opens with a frightening incident from Sami's past that was never resolved. Now, it appears that ghost from his past has surfaced, with possible ties to a wealthy local family. His life is further complicated by a man he had arrested while he was on the force, who has now been freed on a technicality. As Sami's past and present collide, it will take all of his skills to unravel the mysteries that surround his former life as they threaten his life now, putting himself and his family in imminent danger. Aided by his students, Sami delves deep into his former life, and the secrets from his past, while he conducts his present investigation. Harlen Coben has written a brilliant, fast paced, character driven book. Sami has quite a philosophical look at his life that adds immensely to the story. It is a wild ride, with surprising twists and a plot that kept me guessing throughout! Don't want to divulge any more of the plot! I thoroughly enjoyed the book. Thank you to the author, publisher, and Netgalley for my advance copy. The opinions of this review are my own.

Harlan Coben is one of my favorite authors so I was super excited to read this story!

This book is a continuation of Sami's story which goes into his past experience traveling abroad.

Overall I really enjoyed the story, especially the plot twist involving Anna/Victoria at the end which I never could have guessed!

You can’t go wrong with a Harlan Coben novel - they’re all great! I loved the characters and their banter. The audiobook was good and easy to listen to.

Harlan Coben does it again with Nobody’s Fool—a gripping, fast-paced thriller that had me hooked from the start. The story follows former detective Sami Kierce, who is stunned when Anna, a woman he thought had died 20 years ago, suddenly appears in his criminology class. What follows is a relentless, twist-filled journey as Sami digs into the past, uncovering secrets that refuse to stay buried.

Coben is a master of suspense, and this book is no exception. The pacing is flawless, the twists come at just the right moments, and the characters feel incredibly real. Sami is a compelling protagonist—flawed, determined, and constantly battling his past while trying to uncover the truth. The supporting cast, especially his students, adds an extra layer of intrigue that makes the story even more engaging.

Just when I thought I had everything figured out, Coben threw in another surprise, keeping me on edge until the final page. If you love thrillers packed with mystery, suspense, and unforgettable twists, Nobody’s Fool is a must-read. Easily a five-star book!